Food Network chef to make cafeteria fare more excellent

Twist: Capitalizing on the popularity of chef Emeril Lagasse's show "Emeril Live," cable TV's Food Network offers a viewer sweepstakes designed to extend sponsors' reach all the way into a school cafeteria. Consumers are invited to mail in a card explaining why Emeril should improve the cuisine at their kids' schools. The grand prize is a visit by the chef to the school cafeteria of the winner's child to cook a "kicked-up" lunch to be telecast on Food Network.

Vital statistics: The promotion runs March 14 to April 3; the cafeteria episode airs May 21. Sponsors include General Motors Corp., which offers an additional reward to the grand prize winner of a Yukon sport-utility vehicle; Nabisco's Oreo; Reynolds Metals Co.'s Reynolds Wrap and Hebrew National. The sweepstakes is promoted on Food Network and via a free-standing newspaper insert in 15 million newspapers nationwide and also online (foodtv.com). Entrants must have a child enrolled in grades four to eight.